Question 1

Won't my property get damaged?

Accepted Answer

The first question every landlord asks — and a fair one. In practice, short-stay guests are mostly professionals, families, contractors, and corporate travellers, not the stereotype. Every booking is screened. Every stay ends with a professional clean and inspection. Any damage is documented and recovered through the booking platform's host guarantee (Airbnb AirCover, Booking.com's damage policy) or our own security deposit on direct bookings. The protections stack: guest screening, platform guarantees, our £1m PI and £5m PL cover, and a CMP-safeguarded client money account. Serious damage in well-managed short-let portfolios is rare — when it happens, you don't deal with it. We do.

Question 2

How do you vet guests?

Accepted Answer

Every booking runs through ID verification, platform review history, and a risk check. We decline bookings that don't meet our criteria — unverified first-time accounts for local one-night stays, events, large groups in family-sized homes. It's the same discipline that keeps damage and disturbance rare in the industry's better-run portfolios.

Question 3

What if my neighbours complain?

Accepted Answer

We set strict house rules — no parties, no events, quiet hours, sensible guest limits — and screen out problem bookings before they ever happen. Neighbours get a direct line to us, so any concern goes to our team, not to you. Complaints in well-managed short-lets are rare; when they happen, we respond fast and document everything.

Question 4

What about insurance?

Accepted Answer

You are responsible for holding buildings and contents insurance that permits short-let use. Standard buy-to-let landlord insurance doesn't cover short-stay use — you'd be uninsured in a claim — so you need a specialist short-let policy, typically a little more than standard cover, with appropriate guest liability and contents protection. We can point you toward UK specialist short-let insurers. Safa separately carries £1m Professional Indemnity and £5m Public Liability via HDI Global Specialty SE for our own management activities, fully bound and active.

Question 5

Is the income actually better than a long-term let?

Accepted Answer

In the right location with the right setup, short-stay can outperform a long-let on a net basis — sometimes meaningfully. But it isn't guaranteed, and it isn't the right model for every property. Location, transport links, parking, planning rules, and building covenants all matter. Before we sign anything, we run a full market analysis for your specific address so you can decide with realistic numbers in front of you, not headline ones.

Question 6

What's your fee?

Accepted Answer

Between 15% and 25% of gross booking revenue. Your specific rate is set in your individual Schedule based on property type, location, channel mix, and service tier. This all-inclusive fee covers all operational software, dynamic pricing, cleaner scheduling, client money safeguarding, and standard onboarding compliance checks. We don't charge on vacant nights, and there are no upfront setup fees.

Question 7

Who will hold my money?

Accepted Answer

Client funds will be held in a safeguarded account at Calmony.co with Client Money Protect (CMP) cover. Both are being set up before we onboard our first landlord — we will not accept any landlord funds until these protections are in place.

Question 8

Who pays for repairs?

Accepted Answer

You; we coordinate, with a £250 approval threshold. We won't authorise any single repair over £250 without your prior written consent — except in genuine emergencies where waiting would cause further damage or pose a safety risk. All repair costs are recharged at cost, with no markup and no admin fee.

Question 9

What does it cost to get started?

Accepted Answer

Zero upfront fees from Safa. The standard £35 onboarding compliance check is absorbed into our overhead — you don't see it. Setup costs are practical only: if your property is already furnished to short-stay standard, often very little. If it needs furnishing, photography, and listing build, we can guide you through doing it yourself or project-manage at cost (no markup). Typical full setup for a two-bed runs £3,000–£8,000 depending on starting point and finish. We agree spec and budget with you before any work begins.

Question 10

My mortgage doesn't allow short lets. What now?

Accepted Answer

Most standard residential and buy-to-let mortgages don't permit short-stay use without written lender consent. Speak to your lender first — many will grant consent for a one-off fee. A growing number of UK lenders now offer specialist short-stay products (CHL Mortgages, Foundation Home Loans, and others). We can't act as a mortgage broker, but we can point you toward UK specialists who work in this area.

Question 11

Do I need planning permission?

Accepted Answer

In most of the UK, no — but it depends on your local authority and the property's use class. London has the well-known 90-night rule for entire-home short lets without planning permission. Edinburgh, parts of Wales, Greater Manchester, Cornwall, and Brighton operate or are introducing licensing schemes. We check the position for your specific address before we begin — it's part of onboarding, not your job.

Question 12

What about tax?

Accepted Answer

The Furnished Holiday Lets (FHL) regime ended in April 2025, so short-stay income is now generally taxed as standard UK property income. Your exact position depends on your ownership structure, other income, and whether the property is held personally or through a company. Speak to an accountant familiar with property — we're happy to point you toward firms with short-let experience.

Question 13

How "hands-off" is it really?

Accepted Answer

Genuinely hands-off. We handle pricing, listings, bookings, guest communication, cleaning, linen, maintenance coordination, compliance, and reporting. You receive a monthly statement and a single payout by the 5th of every month. After onboarding, most landlords only check in for a quarterly review.

Question 14

How quickly do you list?

Accepted Answer

Within 14 days of signing.

Question 15

Can I see the agreement before committing?

Accepted Answer

Yes — we send the full Management Agreement and your individual Schedule of Fees before you commit. Read it, share it with your solicitor, ask anything. We sign nothing until you're comfortable.

Question 16

Am I locked into a long contract?

Accepted Answer

No. We have a 3-month minimum term to cover initial setup effort, followed by a 30-day rolling notice period. If you decide to leave, we stop accepting new bookings immediately. For any existing guest bookings that fall after your 30 days are up, you have two choices: let us honour them, or cancel them and cover the platform cancellation penalties. We also work around your plans during the term — a few weeks blocked out for family at Christmas, an early exit if you decide to sell. You stay in control of your property.

Common questions, honest answers

Property protection

Finances

Compliance

Operations

Flexibility

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